A mobile dental clinic visited Southampton city centre to provide free treatment to people experiencing homelessness, many of whom struggle to access NHS dental services.
The clinic was run by Dentaid, a charity that supports vulnerable groups by delivering free dental care, and was hosted at the Above Bar Church. The initiative was delivered in partnership with Southampton Rotary Club and The Big Breakfast, a weekly community meal for people in need.
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The Big Breakfast, organised by Sanjay Hall through his charity The Big Difference, takes place every Thursday at the church. On January 15, attendees were also offered dental consultations and treatment.
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Hall said demand for dental care among people experiencing homelessness is extremely high.
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“The need is huge and access to dental services is very limited,” he said. “Many people are living with serious dental pain but simply cannot get into the system. Clinics like this give them somewhere to turn, even though many are nervous at first.”
The event was funded by Southampton Rotary Club. Trustee James Lapage said supporting people experiencing homelessness strongly aligns with the group’s values.
“We feel it’s important to help those who may be less fortunate than ourselves,” he said.
After attending the breakfast, visitors were referred to dental professionals operating inside Dentaid’s mobile clinic van parked outside the church. Following consultations, patients received treatment directly on site.
One patient, Lucky, said he had been suffering from severe toothache for eight months.
“The pain has been very bad, and I’m hoping to get some safe pain relief,” he said.
His support worker, Pippa Grey from the Society of St James, described the clinic as “a life saver”.
“We’ve tried to find an NHS dentist, but they were all full,” she said. “We even called 111 for an emergency appointment and didn’t get a response. This service is absolutely brilliant, and I hope Lucky will finally be able to sleep without pain.”
Dentaid operates a fleet of 12 mobile dental vans and relies on qualified volunteer professionals to deliver care across the country. Volunteer dentist Alan Price said the team can provide most basic treatments.
“We can offer pain relief, check-ups, and oral cancer screenings,” he said. “I’m semi-retired now, but I love volunteering and helping people who really need it.”